Wayne St. spoils Chargers' home opener

Thursday

Apr 4, 2013 at 9:00 AMApr 4, 2013 at 11:11 PM

By Ed Patino

ed.patino@hillsdale.netHILLSDALE — The home stand did not begin the way the Hillsdale College softball team wanted it to.Playing at home for the first time this season, the Chargers were swept by the Wayne State Warriors in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Thursday, falling 4-1 and 10-4 at Williams Field.Hillsdale (3-12, 2-6 GLIAC) was supposed to play its home opener March 23 against Findlay, but inclimate weather forced the doubleheader to be moved to Findlay. The Chargers will play a doubleheader Saturday against Malone University and Sunday against Ashland University.Wayne State (14-12, 5-1 GLIAC) took advantage of four Hillsdale errors and strong pitching to win the opener. The teams combined for 22 hits in the second game, but the Warriors scored four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to pull away.Trailing 1-0 in the opener, the Chargers drew even in the bottom of the second inning when Kate Hoop's RBI double scored Courtney Day. Wayne State regained the lead in the top of the third as Gabby Williams scored on a throwing error. Later in the frame, Nikki Fulton came home on Stephanie Foreman's RBI double, making it 3-1.The Warriors added another run in the top of the fifth inning when Foreman scored on a wild pitch.Ainsley Ellison went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead Hillsdale. Hoop finished 1-for-2 with a RBI, while Taylor Schulty and Kristi Gordon had the other hits for the Chargers. Katie Ardrey took the pitching loss, allowing four runs (none earned) on six hits while going the distance.Foreman was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead Wayne State. Williams went 1-for-2 with a run scored, while Fulton scored two runs. Emily Bryce, Jade McGarr and Amanda Burnard each collected a hit. Brianna Lee went the distance in the circle for the win, allowing one run on five hits and striking out eight.After two scoreless innings, Wayne State broke through in the bottom of the third inning of the nightcap. Fulton drove home Catherine Rayos with a RBI double, then scored on a throwing error. The Chargers answered in the top of the fifth when Ardrey smashed a solo home run over the left center fence.The Warriors plated four runs on the bottom half of the frame to regain control. Fulton scored Rayos with another RBI double, then Foreman ripped a two-RBI double to score Logan White and Fulton. Later in the frame, Foreman scored on Bryce's RBI single, making it 6-1.Hillsdale fought back again in the top of the sixth with three runs of its own. Schulty belted a two-run homer, then Ardrey plated Sarah Grunert with a RBI double, making it 6-4. However, the Warriors answered again with four runs in the bottom of the sixth, then shut down the Chargers in the seventh to secure the win.Ardrey went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead Hillsdale. Miriam McKay and Grunert both added two hits, while Schulty finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Ellison and Gordon both had a hit.Sarah Klopfer took the pitching loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and striking out three in 4 2/3 innings.Fulton was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored to lead Wayne State, while White went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Bryce went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Rayos was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. McGarr also went 2-for-4 with a RBI and Foreman finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs.Mackenzie Boehler allowed four runs on four hits and struck out three in five innings for the pitching win. Lee recorded the save, throwing the last two innings and striking out three.The Chargers will hold their benefit for prostrate cancer awareness during both doubleheaders this weekend. The team will wear powder blue uniforms, and several events and sales will take place at the games.

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